Report: Commanders Considered Pursuing Andrew Luck Before Carson Wentz Trade

Prior to landing Wentz, Washington entertained the notion of pursuing Luck, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2019.

The NFL’s quarterback carousel has ramped up to full speed this offseason, with several signal-callers in new places. Before the Commanders pulled off their trade for Carson Wentz, the team apparently considered another name: Andrew Luck.

Washington reportedly at least brought Luck up in conversation regarding the future of its quarterback room, according to ESPN’s John Keim, who described the option of trying to convince Luck to come out of retirement as a either “realistic or a Lloyd Christmas ‘So you’re telling me there’s a chance’ scenario.”

Luck, 32, hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since Jan. 12, 2019. He retired just before the start of the 2019 campaign, hanging up his cleats after a seven-year career that was spent entirely with the Colts.

The Commanders have been transparent about the wide net they cast in searching for their next quarterback, calling every team in the league to inquire about its starter. Whether Luck would have ever considered a return to the league—much less to join Washington—seems like a remote possibility considering his length absence from his playing days and the franchise’s history of struggles at the position.

Washington eventually landed Wentz (and the entirety of his contract) for a series of picks. The team finished 7–10 last year, and have not won a playoff game since the 2005 season.

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